Community Graveyard strategy

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Graveyard
Arena lumberyard event.png
Basic Information
Map type: Arena
File name: arena_lumberyard_event
Released: October 5, 2021 Patch
(Scream Fortress XIII)
Variants: Lumberyard
Developer(s): Liam "Diva Dan" Moffitt
Benjamin "blaholtzen" Blåholtz
Alex "FGD5" Stewart
Seb "Tianes" Necula
Aeon "Void" Bollig
Erik "Colteh" Coltey
Juniper
Map Info
Environment: Halloween
Setting: Night
Hazards: Pitfall, Pumpkin bombs, Skeletons,
Horseless Headless Horsemann
Map Items
Healthico.png Health Kits: Healthbar.png ×4  •  Healthpie.png ×2
Ammoico.png Ammo Boxes: Mediumammo.png ×4   •  
Largeammo.png ×4
TF2 crosshair.png Special: Gargoyle Ghost.png
Map Photos
Loading screen photos.
Map Overview
Graveyard overview.png

This article is about Community Graveyard strategy.

Note: It is recommended to read the main Graveyard article first to become familiar with the names of key map locations used in this article.

Graveyard is a modification of the original Lumberyard Arena map. For much of the original Lumberyard strategy that still applies to this map, see Community Lumberyard strategy.

General strategy

This Halloween map features pumpkin bombs, magic spells, and the Soul Gargoyle; see Community Halloween maps strategy.

  • Teams often circle around one side and force their way to the back, in somewhat of a yin-yang dynamic. The key is to obtain proper defense of your team’s area and gain control of the rooftop and the indoors. The spawns are relatively useless, and are usually forgone by either team.
  • The player ghosts make the gameplay tighten as the round goes on, and remaining players are typically on guard thanks to overheal. Use this to try and single out specific players rather than taking on the whole team.
  • Capturing the objective forces the enemy team to come to you or risk losing, prepare yourself for advancing players at either of the 2 side doors that open when the control point unlocks.

Magic spells

  • The periodically spawning Rare Spells can turn the tide. Keep an eye out for the purple beacons and get them if you can! Or target any enemy going for it if you can't!
  • The trade offs for Rare Spells are different in Arena, because death of the bearer removes the unused spell from the round.
    • Dying after picking up a Rare Spell destroys the Spell, which can be useful in dire situations by preventing the enemy team from grabbing it.
    • An Enemy that has picked up a Rare Spell should be targeted to destroy the spell, or at least force an unfavorable cast.
    • A teammate carrying a Rare Spell should be protected and escorted to a good position to cast the spell.

Dispenser-ghost

  • Dead players become ghosts that can fly around and approach teammates to heal them and replenish their ammo.
  • Search for teammates using the "MEDIC!" voice command, especially if they are low on health.
  • Coordinate with your Medic, as healing their patient can interfere with the buildup of their ÜberCharge.
  • Heavies, Pyros, and Engineers can benefit the most from the ammo regenerating effects.
  • Stacking on the most powerful person on a team can turn the tide. A Heavy can easily survive a firefight with sustained healing.
  • It is possible to heal enemy Spies or even give away friendly Spies. Ghosts must always be wary of who to heal.
  • You can also scout around corners and used mic or team talk to communicate what you see that your living teammates can't see, like the location of the crit-boosted last live player. At the very least, watch your survivors' six.

Last man

  • When reduced to one live player, the lone surviving team member can still be a threat, being awarded mini-crits and supported by many healing ghosts. Be careful not to underestimate them.
    • Avoid the temptation to neglect the point to hunt down the last player, you can win the round without killing them. And the Point is fast; the last player can sneak in and cap behind you if you leave the Point looking for them.
    • The last player tends to attack from above or behind.
  • However, if you are the last player, rally up as many ghosts as you can, and get one to tell you were the enemy is and when their back is to you.

Skeleton King

  • The Skeleton King is a special matter, not the least of which is his normal relentless pursuit with high-damage attacks; however, ...
  • At 1000 Health, enough damage to kill 5 soldiers is needed to defeat the Skeleton King. That is a lot of damage to give up in the short rounds of Arena. Shifting your team's firepower onto the Skeleton King greatly reduces the pressure on the other team, a really bad thing to do in Arena.
  • Conversely, if the Skeleton King is in amongst the enemy, better yet the enemy has also foolishly chosen to attack the monster instead of you, pour the fire on the enemy aggressively during the resulting power play, and also try to close the distance to grab the Rare Spell for yourself, should he be defeated.
  • When the Skeleton King is chasing you, do what you can to lead him away from your team and in the direction of the enemy.

Class-specific strategy

Leaderboard class scout.png Scout

  • Weapons which allow you to deal high amounts of burst damage, such as the Fan O'War or the Force-A-Nature, are useful for circumventing the Dispenser-ghost's healing effects.
    • Although, the stock Scattergun is still pretty effective at accomplishing this task.
  • Due to the Scout's high Speed, you will often outrun friendly ghosts and miss out on their benefits. If you desperately need healing, you should either stand at a safe place and constantly call for help, or use one of your healing secondaries, like the Mad Milk or the Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol.
  • The roof of the Charnel Church is relatively low, making it easy to reach it if you have any jump-extending weapons.

Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier

  • It is not recommended to bring the Buff Banner alongside you in battle, as its effects become useless when being the last man standing.
  • As always, you should immediately seek for High ground advantage, which can be granted by the Charnel Church's roof.

Leaderboard class pyro.png Pyro

  • At the beginning of the round, your Compression Blast can be used to effortlessly push opponents of the Cliffside, as well as for reflecting enemy Projectiles. However, as the game progresses and fights become more and more centered around the Charnel Church, your Airblast will slowly lose its utility.
    • And it will become practically useless if the last remaining opponents are not projectile classes.
  • Because of this, it might be a wise idea to immediately begin the game with a high damage loadout, consisting of either the Phlogistinator or the Back Burner. This way, you can quickly burn through opponents even with multiple ghosts healing them.

Leaderboard class demoman.png Demoman

  • Right at the beginning of the round, you can charge up your sticky bombs and launch them over the Charnel Church, striking enemies leaving their spawn.
  • Demoknight has quite a lot of potential on this map. The long shield charges accompanied with a melee crit at their end can swiftly decapitate any opponent, no matter how much ghosts are healing them.

Leaderboard class heavy.png Heavy

  • As more healing and ammo becomes available from fallen Comrades, the longer you can manage to survive the greater threat you become.
  • The Fists of Steel reduces the healing from ghosts, consider if the resistances are worth the reduced healing.

Leaderboard class engineer.png Engineer

  • Placing a Mini Sentry Gun under either of the two staircases is a great ambush spot for enemies coming down the stairs, as they will have little time to react it to it.
  • Keep a Dispenser handy, and set it up somewhere safe that your team can easily access. Even with the Dispenser ghosts, without the benefit of respawning, your team will need any source of health it can find.

Leaderboard class medic.png Medic

  • Even with the more generous number of Health kits, in the early stages of a round, Medics are vital to team survival by keeping teammates alive. Medics can even work alongside Dispenser-ghosts to keep the team fighting, and the Ghosts can't Uber.

Leaderboard class sniper.png Sniper

  • A well-placed Jarate throw can allow a team to overwhelm a target who is being healed by many ghosts.
  • When you see a Rare Spell too far away to get to, and it is close to the enemy, scope in and Headshot any enemy that picks it up.

Leaderboard class spy.png Spy

  • Spies can dispatch more powerful classes with backstabs, no matter how many ghosts are supporting them.
  • Ghosts are a double-edged sword with Spies, as friendly ghosts could give away your position, while enemy ghosts can heal you.